Locking device for card-index rods.



PATENTED MAY 17, 1904. 0. A. WEIDNER. LOOKING DEVICE FOR cm) INDEX RODS. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29, 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CARL A. IVEIDNER, OF ROCHESTER, NEIV YORK, ASSIG-N OR TO THE YAVVMAN & ERBE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEl/V YORK.

LOCKING DEVICE FOR CARD-INDEX RODS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,404, dated May 17, 1904.

Application filed December 29, 1903. Serial No. 186,978- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. WEIDNER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Card-Index Rods; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, and to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in card-index files and the like; and it has for its object to provide a locking device of simple and inexpensive construction that will automatically lock the card-retaining rod within its respective file or drawer when inserted therein for the purpose of preventing the removal or displacement of the cards therein contained and which is so constructed as to enable a key of the proper configuration to be inserted therein and rotated, which operation will cause the locking device to immediately unlock and release the rod in order to permit its removal from the file.

To these and other ends my invention consists in certain features of novelty and advantage that will be hereinafter more fully explained, and pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a card-index file embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the rod in locked position. Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 2, showing the rod in unlocked position; and Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 4.

In the views the same numerals of reference designate similar parts.

The present embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings as applied to an ordinary card-index file or case 1, slidingly fitted within the cabinet 2 and made up of the front and rear end pieces 3 and 1, respectively connected to each side board 5 and the bottom 6, the latter being provided with ways 7, on which is slidingly mounted the follower 8.

In the front wall 3 of the file ease ordrawer is fitted a socket 9, provided with an aperture 10, adapted to receive the card-retaining rod 11, the rear portion of which extends through the aperture 12 of the follower and rests in the aperture of the anchoring device 13, carried by the rear wall 4: of the drawer. The forward portion of this rod 11 is provided with an enlargement 14, which rests in the aperture 10 of the socket, a groove or recess 15 being provided between the forward portion 14 and the rear portion 14: of the enlargement, which may extend either partially or entirely around the rod, the rear portion 14: of the enlargement forming a shoulder the rear portion of which is tapered down to the remaining portion of the rod to form a conical or inclined surface 16 immediately adjacent the groove or recess 15. Extending rearwardly from the forward end of the rod is a kerf or slot 17, adapted to receive a key 18, a portion of which is adapted to project into the groove 15 of the enlargement, a pin 19 constituting a wardextendingtransversely through the handle or knob 20, the enlargement or end of the rod, and through the keyslot 17 and the slot 21 of the key to form an obstruction that will prevent the insertion of keys or other objects not fitted to the look. In the socket 9 is provided a recess or cutaway portion 22, which communicates with the aperture 10 and which is adapted to register with the groove 15 of the rod when the latter is in locked position in the case or drawer. In this recess thus formed is fitted the locking device, comprising in the present embodiment a spring 23, that may be doubled into a substantially U form in order that both arms thereof may rest in the groove 15 of the rod,the adjacent abutments 2 1 24C of the socket,

around which the spring fits, being utilized to prevent rotation or displacement thereof. In employing a double spring the arms thereof normally tend to proximate or move toward one another, so that when the rod is inserted in the socket and moved until the groove 15 comes into position opposite the spring-arms the latter will automatically spring into said groove, engaging the shoulder 14: to prevent the removal of the rod. However, should the proper key be inserted in the slot 17 the lateral edges thereof will project into the groove 15, and when the rod and key are rotated the laterally-projecting portions of the key will engage the arms of the spring, and thereby displace them from the groove of the rod, permitting the enlargement or shoulder lt to pass between, thus permitting the rod to be freely removed from the case or drawer. In replacing the rod in the drawer the end thereof is inserted in the aperture of the socket 9, passing through the apertures of the cards that may be contained in the drawer, through the aperture 12 of the follower, and into the aperture of the anchoring device 13, the springarms of the locking-spring 23 riding up the inclined surface of the conical portion 16 of the enlargement or shoulder 14? on the rod, thereby allowing the rod to be moved inwardly until the arms of the locking-spring are sprung into the groove 15.

In order to facilitate the unlocking operation, an actuating-spring 25 may be attached, as at 25, to a relatively fixed portion of the drawer and provided with a freely-movable spring-arm, which is provided with a loop or ring 25, adapted to engage a shoulder 26 on the rod at a point preferably adjacent and in rear of the inclined surface 16 of the shoulder-1 1 this spring being so arranged that when the rod is moved into locked position the shoulder 26 abutting against the springarm will produce a tension thereon normally tending to move the rod forwardly, so that when the rod is unlocked in the usual manner the action of the spring 25 will automatically move the rod forward, thereby preventing a relocking of the rod should the key be removed or turned before the withdrawal of the rod, and at the same time such an arrangement will render the manipulation simple and convenient.

A locking device embodying my invention when applied to a card-index file will positively prevent the displacement of the cards while the rod is in its locked position and will also enable the locking and unlocking operations to be performed with the utmost facility, for the reason that in the construction employed no special care need be exercised in inserting the rod in the file or draw er, as the lock will operate automatically without the necessity of revolving the rod to a predetermined position, as is common in similar devices, and in unlocking the rod the key is inserted in a straight path and then partially rotated, thereby greatly facilitating the unlocking operation.

I claim as my invention 1. In a card-index file, the combination with a drawer or receptacle, and a locking device attached thereto embodying a transverselymovable locking member, of a card-retaining rod having a locking-shoulder arranged to cooperate with said locking member to prevent longitudinal motion of the rod, and a key having a portion adapted to enter the end of the rod and arranged to cooperate with and disengage said locking member from locking engagement with said shoulder as said key is rotated.

2. In a card-index, the combination 'with a drawer or receptacle, and a locking device carried thereby embodying a movable locking member, of a rod adapted to enter said locking device having an annular shoulder arranged to cooperate with the locking member of said locking device to prevent longitudinal motion of the rod, an annular reduced portion being formed on the rod adjacent the shoulder to permit the rod to rotate while locked, and a key having a portion adapted to enter an aperture in the rod and arranged to engage said locking member as the rod is rotated to disengage it from locked engagement with said shoulder.

3. In a filing device the combination with a receptacle having a locking device embodying a socket and a locking member movable transversely thereof, of a card-retaining rod movable longitudinally of the socket and capable of rotation therein and provided with a locking-shoulder for engagement with the locking member and with a key-aperture extending to the shoulder, and a removable key adapted to be inserted in the aperture when outof line with the locking member and serving to move the latter out of engagement when the lock ing-rod is rotated.

4. The combination with a drawer or reeep= tacle, and a locking device carried thereby embodying a locking member, of a rod having" a shoulder or enlargement thereon arranged to enter said locking member and cooperating with said locking member to prevent longitudinal motion of the rod, a reduced portion being formed adjacent said shoulder to receive said locking member and to permit the rotation of the rod while in locked engagement, and a key having a portion adapted to enter an aperture in said rod and project laterally from said reduced portion and arranged to displace said locking member from said reduced portion when said key is rotated.

5. In an index-file, the combination with a drawer or receptacle, and a locking device carried thereby embodying an apertured socket having a transversely-arranged slot formed therein, of a locking member located in the slot and confined in its movements by the walls of the latter, a rod having a lockingshoulder adapted to enter the aperture of the socket and cooperate with said locking member to prevent longitudinal motion of the rod, and a key movable longitudinally of and retatably with the rod for disengaging said locking member from said shoulder.

6. In a device of the character described the combination with the receptacle and a locking device embodying a socket and a transverslymovable locking member, of a card-locking rod rotatable in said socket having a segmental locking-shoulder, and a slot in its end, aknob on the rod, a securing-pin extending through the knob and rod transversely of the slot therein, and a removable key adapted to enter said slot having a slotted end for the accommodation of the pin and adapted to extend in proX imity to the locking-shoulder when the slot in the rod is out of register with the locking member.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with an apertured socket transversely recessed, a doubled spring in the recess the arms of which have a normal tendency to move toward the aperture, a rod having a shoulder adapted to enter the aperture of said socket and cooperate with said doubled springarms to retain the rod from longitudinal motion, and a device for disen a in said s )ringb 25 b arms from locked engagement with said shoulder.

8. In adevice of the character described, the combination with a socket having in connection therewith a locking member, of a rod having a shoulder or enlargement thereon adapted to enter said socket, and an annular reduced portion adjacent the shoulder in which said locking member is adapted to rest, and a key having a portion adapted to enter a slot arranged longitudinally in the rod and arranged to project laterally into said reduced portion in such manner that when said key is rotated the locking member will be disengaged from. cooperative relation with said shoulder.

9. Ina device of the character described, the combination with an apertured socket having in connection therewith a locking member, of a removable rod or member having a portion adapted to rest in said socket and provided with a reduced portion with which said looking member cooperates to lock the rod from longitudinal motion, the end of the rod beyond said reduced portion being longitudinally slotted, and a pin or projection located in said slot, and a key having a portion adapted to enter said slot, having arms extending beyond said projection and resting in said reduced portion so that when said key is ro tated the locking member will be displaced from cooperative relation with the reduced portion of the rod to permit longitudinal motion of the latter.

10. In a card-index file, the combination with a drawer or receptacle, and a locking device carried thereby having in connection there with a locking member, of a card-retaining rod having a shoulder or enlarged portion i adapted to rest in said locking device and cooperating with the locking member to retain the rod from longitudinal motion, a spring having a portion adapted to engage said enlargement and normally tending to move the rod longitudinally while in locked position, and a key having a portion adapted to enter an aperture in the rod and arranged to disengage said locking member and shoulder from locked engagement and thereby permit said spring to actuate the rod longitudinally.

CARL A. WEIDNER.

Witnesses:

G. WILLARD R1011, WVALTER B. PAYNE. 

